Biography
Adalgar
About Adalgar
Adalgar was a monk at Corvey before becoming an assistant to Rimbert, archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. In 865 he went with Rimbert to Bremen. His brother, also named Adalgar, was the abbot of Corvey; the two men should be distinguished.
He became Rimbert’s deputy and succeeded him as archbishop in 888. The Germania Sacra register records his tenure as 888–909.
His ministry took place during a period of insecurity that limited the church’s work in the northern kingdoms. Otto Heinrich May’s scholarly account emphasizes the disruption following the defeat by the Normans in 880. It cautions against explaining those limits simply through Adalgar’s personal abilities.
A major concern was Bremen’s relationship with Cologne. Archbishop Hermann of Cologne sought to recover authority over it. According to Bertheau’s account, the dispute reached Rome and then a synod at Frankfurt in 892. Pope Formosus allowed Bremen to remain united with Hamburg while Hamburg lacked subordinate sees, with conditions governing any later change.
In later life, age and illness made assistance necessary. Hoger, another monk from Corvey, became his coadjutor, and neighboring bishops were assigned to help with metropolitan duties. Adalgar died in Bremen on 9 May 909.
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